The Vikings Should Remain Vigilant in Free Agency Hunt
Josh Frey
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As we continue getting into mid-June, the big topics in the NFL have moved away from free agency and more towards OTAs and mandatory minicamp. However, there are still a number of quality players available on the free agency market.
Currently, following the Dalvin Cook release, the Vikings have an impressive $17.8 million in salary cap space. Could they continue their free agency hunt by using this cap space to bring in more veteran players to compete at training camp? Here are three players Minnesota could consider.
CB Marcus Peters
The reasoning here is fairly simple. The Minnesota Vikings secondary remains one of the most inexperienced groups in the entire NFL, with only Byron Murphy having any extended starting experience throughout his NFL career.
Marcus Peters may not be the same lockdown player that he was during the late 2010s, but the 30-year-old corner is still a consistent starter that could offer the Vikings some extra security at the position heading into 2023.
LB Zach Cunningham
Linebacker is quietly another uncertain spot for the Vikings heading into the season. Brian Asamoah has been hyped up as a big deal, but at the end of the day, he was a backup for the entire 2022 season. Obviously, there is reason for optimism as the linebacker saw his role grow over the course of the year, but another level of security past Troy Reeder may be nice.
Zach Cunningham had a tough couple years with the Tennessee Titans defense, but in Houston with the Texans, he was utilized as a tough, run-stuffing defender, who racked up seven tackles for loss in every season from 2019-2021. In a Brian Flores defense, he could get back to his roots and blitz a little more often.
EDGE Yannick Ngakoue
Finally, let’s talk about a former Viking. The Minnesota Vikings made a couple infamous trades in 2020 involving Yannick Ngakoue. Firstly, they acquired him from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for a 2021 second-round pick and conditional 2022 fifth-round pick. Then, at the deadline, they decided to trade Ngakoue away to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2021 third-round pick and conditional 2022 fifth-round pick.
Regardless of the pass rusher’s history with the franchise, Minnesota should have Ngakoue on their radar, especially after trading away from Za’Darius Smith earlier this offseason. Since being selected in the third-round of the 2016 Draft by the Jaguars, Ngakoue has recorded 8.0 or more sacks in every season of his career, but he remains one of the most underrated defenders in the league. Minnesota could add him for pennies and land another potential double-digit sack guy.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.